Methods and systems for constructing robotic toys are known in the art. Such robotic toys include a plurality of mechanisms, a plurality of electric actuators, a controller, and a power source. The electric actuators actuate the respective mechanism, by drawing power from the power source, and according to commands received from the controller. A variety of mechanisms exist to provide a desirable articulation of the arms, neck, trunk, or the legs of the robotic toy.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,583,595 B1 issued to Hattori et al., and entitled “Robot and Joint Device for the Same”, is directed to a humanoid robot. The humanoid robot includes two arms, a head, two legs, and a trunk. The head includes a neck joint yaw axis actuator, a neck joint pitch axis actuator, and a neck joint roll axis actuator. The trunk includes a trunk pitch axis actuator, a trunk roll axis actuator, and a trunk yaw axis actuator. Each of the arms includes a shoulder joint pitch axis actuator, a shoulder joint roll axis actuator, and a shoulder yaw axis actuator. Each of the legs includes a hip joint pitch axis actuator, a hip joint roll axis actuator, and a hip joint yaw axis actuator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,316 issued to Glovier, and entitled “Robotic Joint Movement Device”, is directed to a device for moving a robotic limb. The device includes an electronic gear reduced motor, a housing, and a fixed output shaft. The electronic gear reduced motor is located within the housing. The electronic gear reduced motor is connected to the fixed output shaft. The fixed output shaft is connected to a first limb which is stationary relative to a second limb that is dynamic. The fixed output shaft is connected to the first limb. The housing is connected to the second limb. The housing rotates about the fixed output shaft. Rotation of the electronic gear reduced motor rotates the second limb relative to the first limb.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,677 issued to Abe, and entitled “Ambulatory Worker Toy” is directed to an oscillatory transmission mechanism of a toy which enables a toy to oscillate sideways while sweeping a floor with a broom, articulating its jaws, and whistling. The oscillatory transmission mechanism includes a chassis, a spring motor, a ratchet element, a key element, a head moving mechanism, a whistle mechanism, an oscillatory element, and a plurality of gears, an eccentric weight, and a plurality of shafts. The head moving mechanism includes a head casing, and a plurality of mounting posts. All the elements and mechanisms are located within the chassis. The oscillatory transmission mechanism couples the spring motor to head moving mechanism. The oscillatory transmission mechanism couples the spring motor to whistle mechanism. The spring motor powers the elements. The key element is connected with the spring motor, through the ratchet element. A user winds up the spring motor by turning the key element. The oscillatory transmission mechanism moves up and down, thereby pivoting the head casing about the mounting posts, to periodically open a mouth of the toy, in synchrony with the whistles emitted from the whistle mechanism.